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Candidate for Alderman in Ward 1 Elio LoRusso had his fundraiser/campaign kickoff last night at Casey’s on Broadway. It was a packed crowd to capacity, at one point going out the door. Ward 4 Alderman Tony Lafuente introduced Elio by saying how much we need to get back to what’s going on in East Somerville and listening the residents like Elio said he would because he is part and parcel of East Somerville. Also present was former Alderman Bill Roche, who is also supporting Elio. Mayor Joe Curtatone was present and received a huge welcome. Various other aldermen were present, but frankly it was nice to see Gene Brune, a supporter of Elio as well. East Somerville is not only Elio’s home, he is also raising his lovely family (can’t forget to mention little Maria, his daughter – maybe someday she’ll be mayor). Elio lives and grew up in East Somerville. He employs several people in his business on George Street (Somerville Ornamental Iron Work Inc.). A family man, homeowner and business man right here in Ward 1. He’s invested in the community. We would once again have an alderman who is responsive to the needs of all the residents, not just one group. Yeah, we like Elio. He’s a good man and we’re going to follow him to victory. P.S.: to the candidate who was present for another office, everyone knew you were texting the competition. The crowd gave you something to text, didn’t it?
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Meanwhile, we got word from a Ward 5 resident that they got a knock on the door, and when they opened it they were met by Ward 1 Alderman McLaughlin and Ward 5 Alderman Niedergang standing there with mayoral candidate Payton Corbett (running against Mayor Joe Curtatone). It seems like Mark and Matt wanted to take candidate Corbett around and introduce him to some locals. Now, we heard this from a reliable source and they, Matt and Mark, know it’s true. It seems like both Matt and Mark don’t remember when Mayor Curtatone not only supported both of them but walked around with these candidates. Loyalty means nothing to both Matt McLaughlin and Mark Niedergang. Short memories. It must be true that they also worked to put a candidate in against McWatters in Ward 3 and Heuston in Ward 2. It used to be you went to the dance and left the dance with the same person, but today’s new politicians eat their own, so to speak. Nothing worse than disloyal individuals. You can never trust them again. Now the question is can the residents of Ward 1 and Ward 5 trust their aldermen? That’s our opinion!
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Some politicians have asked why they don’t get mentioned in Newstalk. We suggest all the time that if you want an event mentioned we’re happy to talk about it. Let us know. That goes for anyone out there that wants us to recognize someone for a birthday, anniversary, an event or an award. Let us know.
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Next week a story will be here in the paper about a local company staying here in the city and doing things that will grow their business. Please read it. It’s a testimonial on how Ward 2 Alderman Maryann Heuston is working hard with Mayor Joe Curtatone to keep businesses here and bring in new ones. This business is looking to employ over 400 people and be one of the best local new places and destinations here in the city. We congratulate Alderman Heuston. She has been and still is doing a great job for Ward 2 and the entire city. When you read the story next week about the company that’s going to open soon you’ll understand.
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Check out www.ocpf.us and plug in a name to find out who and how local politicians stand in fundraising. We’re looking it over and seeing who contributes to whom. Remember, it’s not illegal to accept money from special interests, including developers, lawyers or unions of any kind.
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Happy birthday this week here in the Ville: Happy birthday to Kate Norton (granddaughter of Donald and Pat). Kate lives in Illinois but was from Somerville. She is the mother of two beautiful girls, Nevaeh and Naomi. We wish her the very best on her birthday. Happy birthday to a good guy and friend, William (Bill) MacLeod, of East Somerville. Still here in the city he grew up in. We wish him the very best on his birthday. Happy birthday to our good friend, realtor Carol Fontana, who works at Remax Andrew in Stoneham. One of the best professionals around and a great lady. We hope she has a great day. Big happy birthday to Donna Cassaro-Sides, who grew up in the City Hall area. Donna now lives in Acton and we bet she will have a great birthday as well. Happy birthday to Brandon Wilson, the History Lady here in the city. She knows pretty much all there is to know and is a great Somervillevillian. We wish her a great birthday this week. To our good old friend, Bob DeVasto of Wells-Fargo Mortgage, a good guy and well known here in the city by most of the real estate professionals, we hope he has a great day for himself. Happy birthday to Tony Caliri, formerly with the Somerville Schools. He’s celebrating this week as well. We wish him the very best in his retirement on this, his birthday. We wish Steve Shea a very happy birthday this week. Steve has done a great job working as the custodian at ESCS for years. Steve has also done a lot of work as an activist for SEIU Local 3. To all others we missed, we wish you the very best, and a happy birthday.
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WARNING: Now the latest celebrity on Facebook is a person named Theo Sullivan (check him out and friend him, read and enjoy). Look him up, and although some would say he’s not real or he’s someone else, those that are saying anything should be concerned with the word “indirect” – look it up. Especially on a criminal complaint, in particular a “Harassment Prevention Order G.L. 258E,” that was issued two years ago, now on the third year, against one of the publishers of that lesser known fake newspaper has a court order against him. Some of them over there should worry that criminal harassment complaints can and will be taken out on others as well. Be very careful. Don’t be fooled by the boss over there who attempts to extort those that he believes he has something against. Just ask the mayor, who won’t submit to his inappropriate demands and remarks. Again, check him out and friend Theo Sullivan on Facebook. He has some pretty interesting things about the publishers of that fake paper.
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Ward 1 school committee candidate Emily Ackman’s Back to School Fundraiser will be taking place on Tuesday, August 29, from 5:30-9:00 p.m. at the Mount Vernon Restaurant, 14 Broadway, Somerville. This is a kid friendly event. Food will be served. More information is available at https://www.facebook.com/events/1487418661316401/.
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Residents are being asked to take a survey on the Community Preservation Act!
This summer, the City’s Community Preservation Act (CPA) program is being evaluated to help us learn what its strengths are, how it can improve, and how well known the program is. Whether you are familiar with the CPA or not, you can help by taking our 2-minute survey so we can learn about your preferences and what’s working for you. To take the survey, just visit somervillema.gov/CPAsurvey, and please share this link with your friends and neighbors too. If you have any questions or require accessibility accommodation, please let us know at kstelljes@somervillema.gov.
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Remember, the 175th birthday of our city is this year. Celebratory events are scheduled throughout the coming year. Go to http://www.somervillema.gov/somerville175 for more information about events you might be interested in.
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It’s 2017 and Demet’s Donuts over on Mystic Avenue is the best. We’re noticing more and more Somerville residents over there getting their coffee and donuts to start the day. The ladies working there are fantastic and always smiling. If you’re in the mood for a huge, great tasting donut drop over early since they disappear as the day gets on. We’ve noticed more and more Somerville residents over at the store on Mystic. They are finding out like we have that their coffee is better then you know.
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I guess Joe has forgiven Elio from the last time he ran for Alderman. When his whole campaign was based on how independent he was going to be from the Mayor. Or has everyone forgotten about that? Or about how Elio ran against Matt McLaughlin telling everyone that Matt was in the mayors back pocket and would never fight for the neighborhood?
Keep Matt in other wards so Elio can win in 1
We need someone in Ward1 that is vested in the community. Matt isn’t, Elio owns a home, pays taxes & water bill, runs a ward1 business and is raising his daughter in our neighborhood. His father and wife are immigrants. This is the type of person we need. Matt has accomplished NOTHING in his tenure as alderman. Time for a change.
I am extremely concerned with Matt’s anger issues and lack of morals. He attempted to cut the planning board because they didn’t vote the way he wanted. This is an ethics violation and no one is pursuing it. He is out of control and spending too much time worrying about other political races. He tweets about submitting over 500 board orders in the 3 years he has been in office. Basically, bragging about doing his job. Buildings are sitting undeveloped because he is not pushing for progress. He humiliates people on his Facebook page, but gets angry when a local newspaper calls him out on his BS. Enough is enough.
I see the Matt-Bashers at at it again…
He must be doing his job right to evoke such sillyass hysterics from these
tunnel-vision twinks.
Oh good, a nice summer breeze to blow the stink away. It’s folks
like these Old Somerville bigoted rednecks that get Old Somerville
a bad name. Maybe they’d get their facts correct if they paid more
attention to morals and less attention to Trump. But, hey, freedom
is speech allows the rest of us to see them for what they are. And
what are those sheets of paper doing in the trash bin when they
should be in recycle? Better in the trash bin for some for some of
this dirt.
We are stating facts.
Lafuente introduced LoRusso? That’s interesting. Wasn’t that long ago he was running tight with Matty and Mark on the Board. I’d love to hear the story behind that falling out.
It’s not a fact that defunding positions where the terms of the sitting members have officially expired is an ethics violation as you claim. This is a normal appropriations procedure, regardless of what you think the motivation is.
Lars, Alderman Matt has shown his energy and passion for morals in
those 500 board orders he submitted, and in being 1 of 3 votes to
express the discontent, anger, and frustration of the BOA and of a
large group of Somerville residents. Knowing that the BOA wouldn’t
vote to defund the Planning Board as a majority, these minority votes
represent the dynamic of democracy to express, in this case, the lack of
confidence in a mayor who removed the political process of the FRIT
decision into his own hands, and to negotiate a very questionable deal
of 6% affordable housing and $10 million with Block 8 at Assembly Row.
While the Mayor justifies his action because FRIT played hardball in
saying they would put Block 8 on hold and not develop it any time soon,
the real issue is still about who gets to participate in political decision
making, and the Mayor removed his own Planning Board, the BOA,
and the people of Somerville from this FRIT decision. So while he will
win the mayoral race this year, it’s important that members of the BOA
act as an independent body from him, and that they continue to express
any positions of disagreement they might have with Joe. So, yes, the
3 votes of Aldermen McLaughlin, Niedergang, and Davis were important
because they represent the function of the BOA to be independent of
the Mayor, and while continuing to work with him. Once in a while, Lars,
it helps us to see votes in the context of a wider framework. You
know? You do.
Buildings sit empty in Ward 1 just as they do in all other wards. A
developer will speculate that the building price will rise in this hot
and hip Somerville climate, and there are no major sanctions which
say they have to develop in a timely manner.
Facebook – or any other expression of opinion – is still freedom of
speech. If you don’t like a person’s expression, Mr Lars, you can say
so, and so you did. And any newspaper’s opinion is the same, and
often 1 opinion of 1 person. But that’s freedom of speech in democracy,
and we won’t agree all of the time. Be glad we have the right to disagree.
And to see that disagreement in print in the media. Too much
agreement could get boring real fast, and it doesn’t sell newspapers
or make any media more interesting. Right, Donald? Sorry, I meant
to say “President Trump”.